Illusive Affections
by CherryNekoChan
Summary: He hated kids. Detested them, but for her, he would brave them. He would sign himself up to take on another failure Genin team if only to catch the illusive attention of the woman he was head over heels in love with. Kakashi was willing to prove to Kagome that they were meant to be. Series of One-Shots/Drabbles.
1. The One Woman That Mattered

Summary

He hated kids. Detested them, but for her, he would brave them. He would sign himself up to take on another failure Genin team if only to catch the illusive attention of the woman he was head over heels in love with. Kakashi was willing to prove to Kagome that they were meant to be. Series of One-Shots.

A/N: Gah! I'm starting ANOTHER series?! Bad me! Bad bad bad! Oh well, I had so much fun writing Dinner For Two that I wanted to try my hand at Kakashi/Kagome again. This is going to be so much fun. Enjoy!

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Hatake Kakashi remembered with crystal clarity the day he met Higurashi Kagome. He'd been 16, in ANBU, and had been charged with keeping an eye on a toddler Uzumaki Naruto when, out of nowhere, Kagome had appeared, taken one look at the tiny blonde's pitiful expression as he eyed the loaf of bread she'd just purchased, and swung him into her arms to take home to her family.

And when the Hatake prodigy had knocked on the door to retrieve the little Jinchuuriki, he'd received a firm solding by Kagome and a black eye for his efforts, but no Naruto. The Higurashi clan had officially staked their claim on the child and they weren't willing to relinquish him.

While Kakashi knew that the blonde would be well taken care of, the Higurashi clan was known for their nurturing nature, it was dangerous for the Kyuubi spirit to be so close to such a pure family of humans.

But the fire in the blue eyes of the second daughter of the matriarch of the clan made his heart race in the most painful way. A way that he knew and understood because of all the mushy ranting that his former mentor had done when talking about 'His Kushina'.

He was attracted to the 14 year old girl that had knocked him on his ass.

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	2. Estrogen Ocean

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The entirity of the current Higurashi clan consisted of a 9/1 ratio of girls versus boys. There were a lot of girls in the pure family.

The main branch of the Higurashi family was as followed: Kikyo was the oldest at 18, followed by her 14 year old sister Kagome, then Kaede at 10, and finally the only boy, Souta, at the tender age of 8. The second branch wasn't very large. Miroku was 20, his sister Rin was 12, and Souten was 6.

Poor Miroku and Souta swam in a sea of estrogen on a daily basis. Maybe that was why Miroku was such a perv; it could also explain why those less than pure tendencies were rubbing off on the only Hatake heir whenever he happned to spend time with him.

In any case, Kakashi pitied the two males, especially when it was **that time**. It didn't stop him from learning everything he could about Kagome from them. After all, he had to find **some** way to get her to reciprocate his feelings.

Even if they were preliminary and a little hasty at best.

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	3. Jonin Sensei

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It was when he hit twenty, his infatuation with the headstrong Higurashi girl still in full swing, that Kakashi came up with a brilliant plan. He was going to become a Jonin sensei. It was perfect! It was fool-proof!

Kagome, now 18, seemed to love children. Adored them to the point that she would try to take them home to her mother. She had to be reprimanded a few times for simply taking children off the street to give them a warm bed and a good meal. It was how the Higurashi clan had come to adopt a little redheaded boy named Shippo. He was currently Naruto's new little brother.

If he, a renowned highly intelligent ANBU operative, could become a Jonin sensei to the newest generation of shinobi, Kagome would have to acknowledge him! He could be the mentor of the next Hokage!

_'Right! I can do this!'_ the silver-haired man thought, walking into the academy as he carefully adjusted his newly issued green flack vest.

Three hours late.

His first day as a Jonin sensei was the worst day of his life.

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	4. All Bets On

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Six years.

Six long, tedious, painfully obnoxious years. And not one Genin team had graduated his requirements to pass. What was **so hard** about a little bit of teamwork!

Every year he sent back a trio of the brats, Kakashi was met with derision from his fellow Jonin, and avid disdain from the woman of his dreams. To her, he was a cold-hearted jerk that liked nothing more than tormenting small children for his enjoyment. She **hated** him. And he knew this for a fact because she'd told him to his face.

_"I can't believe they let someone like you be a Jonin sensei," Kagome snorted, flipping her braided black hair over her shoulder as she passed by him in the market. He stopped her by pulling on her elbow, nearly upsetting the handful of things she was carrying. Her little brother Souta halted as well, staring over at them with wide eyes. _

_"Really? And what is so wrong about that? It's my duty, as a seasoned shinobi of the village, to pass on my knowledge to the next generation," Kakashi replied smoothly, smiling gently beneath the face mask he wore. _

_"You don't even like kids. It's obvious by how Naru-chan was treated," the girl countered, blue eyes glaring defiantly up at him. "I hate people that neglect the innocent." _

_He was thunderstruck. She... hated him?_

Leaning back in his chair at the tavern he and the other Jonin sensei usually met at, he eyed the rest of his group as they complained about their pipsqueaks.

"So, Kakashi. How did your team fare? Any better than last year?" Sarutobi Asuma asked, turning a smirk to the 26 year old Jonin. The silver-haired man sighed and ran his finger around the rim of his third beer glass.

"Nope. They were sent back. I barely said go before they were at eachother's throats for those two bells." A scoff was heard behind him and he turned to acknowledge the woman that was seated in the next booth, blue eyes glowing with annoyance. Not that he hadn't known Kagome was there; he'd been aware of her very existence the moment she'd walked in with her older cousin, her best friend Sango, and her former teammate Inuyasha.

"And another aspiring generation of Genin bites the dust," the now medic of the Higurashi clan growled, ignoring the woman that set her tea down.

"Kagome, that's not nice," Miroku admonished in a light tone, "After all, if a unit can't work as a team, they might as well be dead."

"This is true," Sango piped up, nursing her tonic and vodka with a sigh, "After all, look at how Sesshomaru's team turned out."

"Tch! That's because Sesshomaru is an almighty asshole that don't know when to give up control," Inuyasha countered, "That and he hated Jakotsu and Naraku. They barely made Chunin before they broke up." The silver-haired Taisho boy snickered at that. "Hah. Broke up."

"Don't be stupid, Inuyasha. I can understand Jakotsu because he was obssessed with Sesshomaru, but Naraku isn't half bad." Kagome seemed genuine about her words.

"Not to you, maybe, and that's because he's been panting over you and Kikyo since we were in diapers, but to the rest of us 'plebians' we mean nothing."

"Gee, Inuyasha, I didn't know you knew the word plebian," Kagome joked, smirking as her best friend huffed and crossed his arms. Kakashi willed his heart to slow down a little when he saw that saucy tilt to her lips.

"Well, the kids weren't exactly excited about working together anyway, so they have some more time to figure out if they really have what it takes to be shinobi," the Copy-nin shrugged, sauntering over to their table and leaning on it with one arm. "You can't really think me that cruel for sparing their lives?"

"I think you're cruel for not giving them a chance," the Higurashi girl snapped, crossing her arms defiantly.

"What would it take to make you see that I'm not as evil as you seem to think," the older nin looked her straight in the eye with complete sincerity. Inuyasha's silvery ears flickered and laid down on his crown, a growl starting to rumble in his chest. He knew that Hatake held affections for Kagome, but if he so much as suggested something to set her off...

She stared him down for a moment, realizing he was being serious, and thought. Then, she smiled. It was a look that sent his heart racing and his palms sweating. It made him short of breath and supress the urge to start shaking, because it was not a pretty smile.

It was the smile she had given him right before she'd decked him across the head for pissing her off. It was a smile that induced unadultered fear.

It was **That Look**.

"Well... If you want to prove **that** to me, then you have to give your next team, regardless if they pass your little test or not, a chance to prove themselves."

Kakashi blinked his only visible eye slowly. _'That's it? That's really all I have to do?'_

"... All right. I don't think that will be a problem," the Hatake prodigy agreed, holding out a hand to her. Kagome tilted her head to the side in an undeniably cute way before taking his hand and shaking it. She expected him to let go right away.

Instead, he held on to it for far longer than he should have, elicting a flush from the girl as she snatched it back from him.

"I guess we'll find out in a few months, because the next group is graduating soon." With that, the silver-haired Jonin walked off, trying his damnest not to bounce in glee.

He could do that. He could make this next team into the best thing that had ever come out of Konohagakure since the Fourth Hokage.

He had to, if he wanted to get anywhere with Kagome.

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	5. Secured Victory

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The fact that his next trio of Genin consisted of Haruno Sakura, Uchiha Sasuke, and Uzumaki Naruto was nothing short of karmic retribution to Kakashi. If he wasn't sure that the selections were made at random, he would have assumed that Kagome had something to do with this team. A manic stalker girl that was more obssessed with her hair than her aim with a kunai, a broody Uchiha brat that thought he was the best at everything with a brother complex a mile wide, and Naruto.

The number one Knucklehead in Konohagakure.

_'And I __**have**__ to pass them if I want to win that bet.'_ He had to wonder if it would even be worth it. Knowing her, Kagome would take a while to even come around to the idea that he wasn't as evil as she thought; even if he passed Naruto's new team. _'I'm doomed.'_

It was decided. He would only pass them if they truly proved theirselves.

"My first impression of you all is... you're a bunch of idiots," the stoic former ANBU ground out blandly, sneezing at the chalk dust that got into his system.

The three kids looked annoyed.

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"Listen, I have a plan," Naruto whispered to his teammates as they crouched in the trees and watched their Jounin sensei.

"**You** have a plan?" Sakura snipped quietly, rolling her eyes at the blonde's bland look. Sasuke ignored the girl and actually focused on the other boy. Dsspite the fact that Naruto got on his nerves and pulled pranks like nobody's business, he wasn't actually that bad. He was rather above average in Taijutsu due to his somehow monsterous strength, and his Ninjutsu was fairly balanced, but his Genjutsu sucked horribly. The one thing that Naruto excelled in was seals. Apparently his mother had been an expert, and the Higurashi family, whom had taken the boy in, were heavily influenced in healing and sealing.

"Yeah. I do, actually. It's going to involve some deception and baiting, though." In another lifetime, Naruto might have thought Sakura would be the love of his life. But his sisters had taught him that it wasn't outer beauty that mattered but what was on the inside and what a girl was capable of. He'd initially brushed off his fascination with the pink-haired girl the moment she'd snarked at him the first time in class.

"Oh..." Sakura murmured, faintly surprised by the intense expression on the normally goofy blonde's face. Sasuke watched his other male teammate with a sharpness that concealed his approval. Apparently Naruto **did** possess a brain, he just kept it hidden beneath that stupid grin he always had on his face.

"Let's hear it then. I want to eat sometime today," the Uchiha boy hissed, almost sure that the Kakashi loafing around below them was just a clone. He'd been carefully watching some of the things his brother trained in and had been attempting to copy his movements. He wasn't nearly as graceful as Itachi, unfortunately, but he had been able to gleen some information off of the older Uchiha brother concerning Kakashi.

_"He possesses a Sharingan, so he is much more agile than he appears. His chakra reserves are near an Uchiha's capacity due to training with that Sharingan, but if you can actually get him to use it, he will tire more quickly. He specializes in many different types of Ninjutsu, but if he uses this particular sequence of seals," here his brother slowly went through a handful of signs that Sasuke took pains to memorize, "run. That is his specialty the 'Raikiri'. I doubt he will, but one can never be too prepared." _

_"So, what should I do? I mean, if he's really that much stronger than me, how am I going to pass his test tomorrow?" _

_"Stick to the basics. Do not decide that now is a fun time to try something new. And trust your teammates."_

Listening to Naruto's plan, he had to admit it was damn crazy. He even admitted it, which caused Sakura to immediately back him up, much to his annoyance.

"But, it just might work enough to catch him off guard," Sasuke finished. That made the pink-haired kunoichi stop short in her mid Naruto-bashing and stare at him for a second in dumbfounded comprehension.

"Good, because I can't do it by myself. Kagome-nee-chan said working together would be the best thing to do, so I spent almost the whole night trying to figure out a great plan. Sasuke, I know you're pretty good at just about everything, but Ninjutsu is your best stuff. Sakura is really smart so she can help us find the perfect place to do this."

"And what about you, Naruto? What are you good at?" Sakura asked, genuinely curious.

"Unlimited energy, I'm pretty strong, and I can do up a few seals to put down before we set off the plan."

"So, essentially, you're the muscle," Sasuke intoned. The blonde nodded and the Uchiha smirked. "Right, then let's get to it."

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Kakashi sighed as he sat in his usual spot in the tavern, nursing his drink as he listened to his fellow Jounin chatter aimlessly.

"So, I'd say by that look, you sent your newest team back, Kakashi," Azuma sighed, reaching out and smacking the quiet silver-haired man on the back. It nearly upset his drink and he raised the glass, draining it in one gulp as he took note of Kagome's entrance. She immediately made a beeline for him, ignoring her friends and slapped her palms down on the table.

"How. Dare. You."

"Hmm? Hello, Kagome-chan. It's nice to see you too."

"You didn't have to beat Naru-chan up so bad! And if I'd known it was gonna be **you** as his sensei, I would have taught him a seal to trap you in another dimension!"

"That's highly illegal, Kagome-chan. It's dangerous to teach a Genin an A-class Fuuinjutsu like that. Besides, he earned every one of those bruises training."

"What-!"

"They passed, by the way. And it wasn't because of our bet. They proved they could work together," Kakashi countered, leaning in so their noses almost touched and ignoring the choked gasps around him as the other Jounin zeroed in on what he said.

"You made a bet with Higurashi-san to pass your next team?"

"Forget that! They actually managed to **pass**?!"

"They... passed?" Kagome whispered, blue eyes wide in shock.

"All by theirselvs. I am now Jounin-sensei to Team 7."

"Then... why was Naru-chan..."

"He earned those post-test in training. And that," Kakashi murmured, smirking slyly under his mask, "means I won our little bet. You owe me something, Kagome-chan."

"Wh-What do you want?"

He had already decided on making her go on a date with him, but then a better idea hit him suddenly. "Spend are least three hours, each day, for thirty days, with me to get to know who I really am rather than judging me by your misconceptions."

"And... That's it?" the Higurashi girl hedged, uncertain as to why in the world he would request something so... odd.

"That's it." He could only hope that by the end of the thirty days, she would see him and not the jerk she thought he was.

"... All right. I guess that's not as bad as it could be," she finally agreed, reaching out and shaking his hand when he presented his to her.

"Excellent. I'll see you tomorrow after I finish with the kids."

It was a perfect plan.

Hopefully.

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	6. Training Time

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The first day of training couldn't end fast enough for Kakashi. Unfortunately, a tiny little knucklehead blonde was giving him the stink eye the whole time.

"I know what you're up to, bastard, and I'm not gonna let you get your mitts on my nee-chan!" Naruto growled, crouching on a tree stump and glowering at the silver-haired man.

"Right now, Naruto, you address me as Sensei. And I just want to get to know her properly, so you don't need to worry about her safety," Kakashi sighed, flicking the little Jinchuuriki over his shoulder when he pounced.

"Wait, what?! What do you mean your sister?!" Sakura gasped, dodging a flying kick from Sasuke. As much as she enjoyed sparring with the the dark-haired boy, the Uchiha wasn't going easy on her. In fact, she had the distinct impression that he was being more violent on purpose.

"Yeah! I got a whole family of sisters!" the blonde announced, shrieking when Kakashi disabled him easily and sat on his back while idly reading his book. "They're awesome, even though we're not blood related."

"So they adopted you?" Sasuke asked, genuinely curious as he flipped his wrist to catch the kunai Sakura threw at him.

"Yep. Kagome-nee literally picked me up off the street and took me home. I haven't left since."

"Kagome?" the raven-haired boy murmured, gasping when Kakashi tossed him into the air. "Are you talking about Higurashi Kagome?"

"Yeah! How do you know Kagome-nee, bastard?" Naruto asked, narrowing sharp blue eyes at the Uchiha.

"She's the only medic Itachi-nii trusts to fix him up. He goes to her for everything. Tou-san actually talked to her mother about a marriage proposition between them a couple of years ago because she's one of the only girls he even talks to."

"W-What?!" Kakashi spluttered, his visible eye widening in shock. Fugaku had offered a propsition?! The Jonin was flipped over Naruto's shoulder while he was distracted. "Did she accept?!"

"No. Itachi refused and Kagome's mom said that she wants all of her kids to marry for love." Sasuke scrunched his nose and shook his head. "Whatever."

Sakura grunted as the young Uchiha was thrown at her. They went down in a tangle of limbs; before they could re-orient theirselves, they were tied up back to back. "Owww! Sensei! You tied the ropes too tight!"

"I have captured your teammates, Naruto. What are you going to do?" the older man stated, giving the blonde a very serious look. Naruto smirked and crossed his arms.

"What makes you think that's them?" Kakashi blinked when two puffs of smoke indicated a change and he dully noted the blonde clones. How annoying. He would love to beat Mizuki for trying to trick the kid into stealing the Sacred Scroll and allowing him to learn the _Kage Bunshin_.

A few moments later, the Jonin had the three Genin hog-tied together and was dusting his hands off. He was amused; they honestly thought they could fool him with something so simple?

"All right. You all still need to work on your teamwork, but that wasn't half bad. Training's done for the day when you get out of those ropes. You guys have fun. I've got somewhere to be," Kakashi announced, closing his book, making a hand sign, and disappearing in a puff of smoke.

He had a meeting with Kagome to get ready for.

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	7. First Day Disaster

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He could have bashed himself in the head.

_'How could I have forgotten to tell her where to meet me?!'_ Kakashi thought, running his hands through his already messy hair as he slogged his way towards the Memorial Stone with his usual offering of flowers for Obito and Rin. The Jonin looked everywhere for the illusive holder of his affections; the hospital, the small clinic her family ran, the bar that she usually went to when she hung out with her friends. Hell, he'd even stopped by her house to inquire to her whereabouts.

He couldn't find Kagome.

It had been several hours since he'd finished with his kids, and he hadn't seen hide nor hair of the black-haired medic. The sun was nearly set and twilight was approaching.

"This first day was a disaster," he muttered, honestly angry with himself for such an academy mistake. He'd been beside himself with joy over just the fact that he would get the chance to spend time with Kagome that he'd misstepped on the simplest of things. Turning the corner, he froze when he noted someone else leaning against the memorial. The setting sun ignited the area and he resisted the urge to rub his eyes, thinking he was dreaming.

Because right there was Kagome, the woman he'd been looking for all this time.

"Kagome-chan?" Her attention shot to him and she straightened up, pulling at the hem of her shirt in an unconscious nervous habit.

"... Hello Hatake-san. I was actually expecting to see you much sooner."

"What are you doing here? I've been looking everywhere for you!" the silver-haired male sighed, absently kneeling down before the stone and laying out the flowers. He noted that there was another fresh bouquet and quickly dredged up the memory that Kagome's father had died in action. Against the Kyuubi. And that, once again, made him wonder how the Higurashi family had been able to take in Naruto without blaming him for the death of their patriarch.

"I've been here. I found out you frequent the Memorial to pray for your teammates and firgured you'd show up eventually since you didn't really say where we should meet up," the medic shrugged, pointedly avoiding his gaze. She wasn't going to tell him that she'd also decided to stop by and visit her dad. "Looks like someone else had that in mind too." She gestured to the other flowers.

Kakashi decided not to mention that he knew it was her. Instead, he nodded once he'd paid his respects and leaned back on his heels to contemplate something. "When you first picked up Naruto, did you know who he was?"

"Yeah. I did."

"And you still did it."

"Yep."

"... That takes a lot of guts; especially considering what happened in your family with the Kyuubi-!" He was stopped when she suddenly grabbed his hair and yanked his head up to meet her fiercely burning blue eyes. Oh, he wasn't expecting that.

"Naruto **did not** kill my father! That monster that was **forced** inside him did! Don't you **dare** assume you understand why I did what I did!" Despite the fact that she was hurting him with her grip, he remained perfectly calm. Because what he honestly wanted to do was pull Kagome down onto the ground and pin her beneath him.

"I know that. Naruto is not the Kyuubi, and he never will be."

"Then why-!"

"Because I wasn't sure about **your** reason. You never told anyone; you just took him home," the Jonin countered blandly, sighing inwardly when she let go of his hair. The Higurashi girl shook her head and growled under her breath as she knelt on the ground next to him.

"It's not like I didn't hear what people said. But he didn't deserve that kind of life."

"No, he didn't. It was part of the reason there were ANBU assigned to watch over him. He had a lot of threats on his life, even back then."

"... That's terrible. He's just a child," the woman murmured, leaning away from the Copy Nin as she assimilated what she'd just done to him. She was feeling foolish; she'd let her emotions get the better of her. She was in a bit of a daze over her fit so she didn't see the way her companion studied her out of the corner of his visible eye.

Straightening up again, Kakashi held out a hand to the woman; she blinked up at him, seemingly confused. "Come on. You've probably been here for a while. Let's go get something to eat and we can... talk."

The kunoichi wanted to say no, but she'd agreed to spend time with him, so instead she let him pull her to her feet and start to lead her away. Glancing one last time at the Memorial Stone, Kagome sent out a prayer.

_'Tou-san, please help!'_

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A/N: So I'm slowing updates on this simply because I've now posted everything I've pre-done already. Now, I get to scramble around and figure out what's next. Haha! Anyways, stay patient guys! I'm getting my act together, I promise!


	8. Breakfast Is Served

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Kagome grumbled under her breath as she sat up in bed and rubbed her hair. It was either very late at night or very early in the morning. Wondering what had awakened her, she looked around the room and blinked rapidly at the fluff of blonde hair curled up under the blankets next to her.

"Naru-chan? What are you doing here?" she asked, honestly confused. It'd been years since the boy had slept in the same bed as her; since after the first year in the Academy.

"Watchin'..." the little Jinchuuriki yawned sleepily, tugging the blanket away from his face.

"For what, sweetie," the medic sighed, running her hands through his baby soft hair.

"Kaka-sensei," Naruto mumbled, sighing and laying his head on her lap. She stopped and stared at the boy in shock.

"... What."

"Kaka-sensei likes you. I don't want him to take you away from me."

"I know that sweetie, but I'm not going anywhere," Kagome reassured the little ninja with a small smile. "Now, don't you have a mission tomorrow?"

"Yeah. It's just some dumb D-rank. I mean, seriously? Pulling weeds is **not** a mission!" the blonde complained, loosening another jaw-cracking yawn and rubbing enormous blue eyes.

"I remember those. I had to do them too. But, it gets you really used to your new team mates before you start working together on harder missions, so try to give these a chance. Get to know Sasuke-kun and Sakura-chan so you can be a more cohesive unit."

"... I guess. It's just stupid," the small boy sighed, falling back on Kagome's pillow and passing out almost immediately. Kagome shook her head, a smile making its' way onto her lips. Since she'd picked up Naruto years ago, their relationship had been this way. When the boy got nervous or was worried in some way, he'd come to her.

This new development, though, was something she didn't really know **how** to deal with. Mama had never pushed any of them into a marriage of any kind, prefering to let her kids fall in love. Not to mention Inuyasha was a bit overly protective. Most admirers were scared off by the silver-haired boy that was her teammate.

It was a first for her to know that the infamous Copy-nin actually liked her. After all, she'd punched him when they were younger. How in the hell could he like **her**, of all the girls in the village?

_'It's too... whatever it is to figure this out. I'll get to the bottom of it when the sun comes up.'_ Curling her arm around her adopted blonde brother, she smiled and drifted off, knowing the little boy was safe in her arms.

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It was as she was flipping some eggs for breakfast that her family received a couple of interesting visitors.

One of those visitors just so happened to be a sleepy Jinchuuriki's sensei.

"Good morning, Naruto!" Kakashi chimed in a tone that made Kagome's eye twitch. He was **waaay** too damn cheery this morning.

"Kaka-sensei?! What are you doing here?" Naruto spluttered, coughing as his orange juice went up his nose. He sprayed the rest of it out when two other people walked through the door. "Sasuke-teme! What are **you** doing here with your brother?!"

The medic glanced at the older Uchiha boy as he waved off the questioning blonde and took a seat at the table, leveling a tired gaze at the girl. Itachi was one of those people that could easily talk someone's ear off when it was something that interested him, but most of the time, he let his eyes do the talking. She winced as her brother's pitch went up a couple of notches.

"Naru-chan? Inside voice. And don't fight at the breakfast table. Finish eating and let Sasuke-kun have some food and you two head out back to play," Kagome took all of the noise in stride, sliding three more plates out of the cupboard and filling them up. While she had no idea as to why Kakashi was there, she had a pretty good guess as to Itachi and Sasuke's prescence. It wasn't the first time she'd served the older boy breakfast, though he'd never brought his younger sibling with him before.

"Hai, nee-chan," Naruto sighed, stuffing more rice in his mouth as he glanced at Sasuke's new plate. Damn, his sister had even given the moody Uchiha brat tomatoes with his eggs!

"Thank you, Higurashi-san," the dark-haired boy mumbled politely after a glacial look from his brother, and started in. A few seconds later, he really was thanking her. Kagome's food was **delicious**. He really had to wonder how Naruto didn't look like Choji!

Once the younger boys had escaped outside, Kagome turned to the older males, plate in hand, and sat at the table. "Why are you here, Hatake-san?"

"I was coming to pick up Naruto for morning training before our mission today. I ran into Itachi-san and Sasuke on the way," the Copy-nin explained, not bothering to hide behind his usual excuses. The medic nodded absently, then turned her attention to Itachi as he dispassionately stabbed at his food.

"Eat, Itachi-kun."

"... I apologize, Kagome-senpai. I'm not feeling particularly hungry at the moment," the teen replied in an even voice.

"You're parents again?" she asked, wincing sympathetically when Itachi growled under his breath and broke his chopsticks.

"My father, more than anything."

The raven-haired girl narrowed sharp blue eyes as she assessed his health. "He's been bothering you again. Pushing you to accept more missions and probably work at the Force."

The clan heir blinked slowly and gave her a small smirk. "It amazes me that you can read me so well, Kagome-senpai."

She stood to her feet and made her way over to Kakashi's side of the table. He'd been observing the interaction between the two, remembering what Naruto had said about their almost engagement. While their relationship was definitely different than anything he'd ever seen as far as the Uchiha was concerned, he could also tell there was a key reaction missing between the two.

Chemistry.

Kagome leaned past him and reached over his shoulder to retrieve a pad of paper. For the briefest instant, he had to stomp on the urge to let his visible eye slide closed. And to slip an arm around the girl's waist to kiss her senseless. Oh, there was the chemistry! "I'm writing you a note."

"No-!"

"I warned you that if he kept pushing you, I would do it. Now, You're going to be on bedrest. Don't do anything more strenuous than city patrol." Kagome was scribbling her words down in a professional manner even as the Uchiha protested. With a click of her pen, she tore the note off and folded it, sliding it across the table to the boy as he glared Sharingan-enhanced eyes at her. "I'm not afraid of your genjutsu, Itachi-chan."

Kakashi almost choked. _'Itachi-__**chan**__?!'_ Anyone else probably would have been dead the instant the endearment was uttered.

"... You're not letting me leave until I say yes," the younger male sighed, picking up the note and stuffing it in his vest pocket.

"Nope!" the medic spoke in a bright chipper voice as she smiled happily, "or until you eat at least half of that."

A moment later, Itachi was grudgingly shoving food in his mouth, grumbling under his breath about already having a mother and if this was how an older sister was supposed to be, then he was glad he didn't have one for real.

"Awww, but I thought I was your surrogate nee-chan!" the girl teased good-naturedly, gesturing to the stove as she glanced at Kakashi. He shook his head and jerked his head in the direction the younger boys had run off to.

"I see you trying to escape, Hatake-san. Hurry, before she decides that you're too skinny and you need at least two more servings before you can leave the table," the Uchiha quipped, shaking his head in bemusement as Kagome growled at him.

"Is that how she caught you, Itachi-san? I'll have to remember that," the Copy-nin replied, a smirk hiding beneath his mask when the Higurashi girl blinked rapidly and stared at him with wide eyes. He saluted them and disappeared down the hallway.

"Wait... What?!" Kagome spluttered, going through everything that had just happened and groaning under her breath. She'd been so caught up in figuring out Itachi's condition that she'd automatically served up food to the sneaky Jonin in tow. Damn, he was good!

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	9. Break Time

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Though her morning had started out quietly enough, Kagome soon came to regret even rolling out of bed for the day. After sending Itachi off with an extra stern lecture about his health and shooing Kakashi and his students away, an incensed sneer on her face when the Jonin waved goodbye, the medic made her way into work.

It was the last time she got an ounce of peace for her entire shift.

Numerous missions had been completed and the injured were trickling in faster than the staff at the hospital could shove the healed out. Kagome was behind by no less than four patients throughout the day, and it even seemed that the most inane of mistakes had been made in the field. She had to wonder if the Hokage was going to make all current field medics retake their damn exams.

"I need a break..." Kagome grumbled, swiping her bangs out of her face. She slipped a hand into her pocket and fingered the chakra pill there. She'd already taken two, and knew that if she decided to pop the third, she would probably be one of the next ones in a hospital bed. _'But I still have so much to do...'_ Glancing out of a window she passed by, she stopped and was vaguely surprised to see the sun already setting. When had she eaten last? If the Higurashi girl remembered correctly, it was that granola bar before noon...

Swallowing, the medic clutched the pill and pulled it from her pocket. She still had rounds to do. She couldn't stop just because she was feeling tired! Raising the pill, she opened her mouth to slip it between her teeth...

A hand stopped her, and a shadow fell from the window. Blinking rapidly, Kagome eventually was able to make out the shape of the number one most annoying Jonin to her.

"I was hoping you would be off work by now," Kakashi murmured, "Maybe we could get something to eat?"

Kagome jerked her arm out of his grip and leaned against the opposite wall, glaring at him. "Don't you use the door like everyone else?!"

"I suppose I could have," the silver-haired man shrugged, tilting his head a little as he assessed the exhausted girl in front of him. By the bloodshot look in her eyes and her pale complexion, he suspected she was running on nothing more than soldier pills and maybe water. "**Have** you actually eaten today?"

"I've been a little busy!" the medic snapped, her glower becoming twice as fierce as she watched the smooth way he vaulted from the window and landed in front of her. Hell, she'd probably accidentally toss herself out the window if she tried that right now! "Now, if you'll excuse me, I still have rounds to make!" With that, Kagome stuck her nose in the air and made to stomp past him.

It would have been a clean getaway too, if he hadn't snagged her elbow and made her trip back into him.

"I think... you need a break first, Medic Higurashi," the Jonin surmised in a firm no-nonsense voice, wrapping an arm around her shoulders to keep her from escaping. Instead of the struggle he was expecting, the Higurashi girl slumped against him and sighed, letting bruised lids slide shut to hide tired ocean eyes.

A moment later, he spoke again, "You really need to eat something. How many of those pills have you taken already?"

"What do you care," Kagome ground out.

"Well, I know a little blonde boy that's waiting for you at home that would care very much." And there was her weakness.

_'And he __**knows that**__, damn him!'_

"Ugh! Fine! I'll take a break!" she finally caved, tilting her head back and giving him a glacial glare. She felt, more than heard, the laugh that bubbled up in his chest and if she wasn't so friggin' tired, she'd have shoved away from him by now!

"Good! I'll wait for you at the front." Between one heartbeat and the next, he disappeared in a swirl of leaves, and she stumbled back against the wall.

A few moments later, Kagome let out a long and breath and cursed the Copy Nin for egging her on when she couldn't mentally fight back. And then herself for agreeing to have dinner with him again.

_I guess this can go towards my three hours a day though...'_

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A/N: I'm trying really hard to not do these notes at the end of stories anymore, but this one is actually important. Simply put- Life. It can suck all the happy out of you if you don't watch it. In other news, I am no longer just a stay-at-home-mom. I have a spiffy new job. Pro- I'm making money to support the fam. Con- I ache everywhere and I have no energy. So, that being said, I will try to continue posting as much as I can. Thank you all for your patience.


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